The Sea Calls Us Home
by Elraralia
Summary: [ONE-SHOT] Elrond's thoughts as he sails away from Middle-earth. Please R&R!


I don't know why, but I just thought that I had to write this. It's from the point of view of Elrond on the ship to Valinor.

*&*

The Sea Calls Us Home

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WHAT'S BEHIND…

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Elrond stood on deck, watching as Middle-earth turned into a speck, and then disappeared, even beyond his elf eyes. _It has been my home for so long… so many memories… so many things I am leaving behind._ His mind turned immediately to his children. Elladan and Elrohir, his two sons… they were strong, and capable, he did not need to worry for them, though parting was of course difficult. His mind then rested on Arwen, his beautiful daughter. Many said that she had the beauty if Luthién, but to this proud father, she was more beautiful than anyone who had walked in life. His lovely child, to him she still seemed to be a little one, just an elfing born not long ago. It was so long ago that she had taken her first steps, but he still felt as if he should be there, there to catch her just in case she fell.

And she did fall, though not in the way that she had as a baby. No, this had been much worse. She had fallen in love with a mortal man. Yes, Aragorn was a good man, courageous and honourable, and he would cherish her, and take good care of her, but nothing could prevent her from what lay ahead. She would fall once more, and from that, there would be no getting up.

Thinking about his daughter crying, thinking about her lying motionless and cold… he was unaware of the tears stinging his eyes.

*&*

_"Are you sure you have made the right choice, Arwen?"_

_She smiled at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Yes, my father, I have. I will not leave Middle-earth, and this is where I will dwell until my last days."_

Until my last days. _The words brought an aching to his heart. "You should have no last days."_

_"Adar…" she took his hands. "What would be the use of having no last days, if I would spend every single one of them drowning in my own tears? This is where I belong, this is where I want to be. Aragorn needs me by his side. I ask for nothing but your blessing."_

_"You have my blessing, dear daughter." He held her tightly in his arms, his little girl, not wanting to let go of her, to watch her slipping away from him forever. "Live to the fullest, Arwen, live each day with joy, until your time comes. I will always love you, my daughter, even though we will not meet again."_

Tears overflowed, and for the longest time father and daughter just held on to each other, crying the tears of parting.

*&*

Elrond sighed, turning away and going down deeper into the ship. There was no use looking out anymore, the image of his daughter, and Middle-earth, was forever etched into his mind.

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…AND WHAT'S AHEAD

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A smile crept slowly across Elrond's face as he thought of what lay before him. Valinor… and Celebrían. His beloved Celebrían… they had been apart for five hundred and eleven years, and not a day had passed without him thinking of her. He wondered if she had really managed to find peace, and heal slowly from her poisoned wound. He wondered is she was truly happy in Valinor, and if she missed her children. He had always thought that one day he would bring their children over the Sea with him, and once again they would set eyes upon their beautiful loving mother, but he had not succeeded. She would never see her children again. But at least they would be together once more.

*&*

She clung on to his hands and looked straight into his eyes. "I'm scared."

He forced himself to smile, despite wanting to break down and cry. "Don't be, Celebrían. You'll find your peace soon, and everything will be all right."

"I don't want to leave you behind."

"I will meet you in Valinor, I promise. We will meet again, Celebrían." He drew her close, his arms around her tightening. Somehow he felt that if he let go, she would slip away from him forever, and no promise or oath would ever bring them together again. It was foolish, but he could not get that fear out of his mind.

Since the day they had brought her back, he knew that nothing was going to be the same, that he was going to be parted from her. That wound had destroyed any chance of her finding peace and joy in Middle-earth, and sailing over the Sea was the only way. He wished he could follow, go to Valinor with her. But something told him that he had to stay, that it was not yet his time to sail to the West. And so they had come to this moment, this moment of holding each other, never wanting to say goodbye.

Finally he loosened his grip and stepped back, sighing. "Goodbye, my love. Till we meet again."

*&*

A soft laugh escaped his lips. Finally, he would see her again. 


End file.
